Interactions between milk proteins and polyphenols: Binding mechanisms,related changes,and the future trends in the dairy industry

The biological activity and techno-functional properties of phenolic compounds have gained great importance due to the epidemiologically-proved health benefits. Use of polyphenols as fortification agents for functional food production and nanotechnological approaches using natural vehicles for polyphenol delivery have been recently discussed. In this respect, milk proteins and dairy products represent unique characteristics for polyphenol studies. The conflicting results on the functionality of polyphenols interacting with milk proteins either in model systems or in complex dairy matrices reveal the need for future studies.     

The fabrication of exfoliated graphite sheet-based air cathodes and gel electrolyte for metal-air batteries

In this paper, we demonstrate that activated carbon (AC) and manganese dioxide (MnO₂) coated exfoliated graphite sheets are a promising cathode for metal-air batteries. A simple and effective method is developed to exfoliate the graphite sheets and to load a catalyst onto their surfaces. Several low-cost, environmentally friendly air cathodes are fabricated, and their performances are tested by constructing Al-air b`atteries whose electrolyte 6 M NaOH, including ZnO inhibitor, is gelled by adding a cost-effective water retainer. The experimental results show that this new Al-air battery has a good discharge performance. In particular one of the new cathodes containing 50 wt% AC and 50 wt% MnO₂ produces a capacity of 311 mAh/g at a constant current discharge of 1.56 mA. Finally, future research directions are discussed for the further usage of the fabricated cathodes.     

Utilization of Whey and Grape Must for Citric Acid Production by Two Yarrowia lipolytica Strains

In this study, utilization of whey and grape must were investigated for citric acid production using Yarrowia lipolytica NBRC 1658 and a domestic strain Y. lipolytica 57. In addition to its use as a sole nutrient source, whey was also fortified with glucose or fructose as well as other nutrients. The best results for citric acid production were obtained in the medium containing whey supplemented with fructose. Maximum citric acid concentrations in this medium were 49.23 and 32.65 g/L for the domestic and NBRC 1658 strains, respectively. In grape must, maximum citric acid concentrations obtained using domestic and NBRC 1658 strains were 32.09 and 10.39 g/L, respectively. Both of the natural nutrient sources were found to be promising for utilization in citric acid production process. A domestic Turkish yeast strain was confirmed to be superior for citric acid production for the first time. This can be targeted for enhancing citric acid production efficiencies from locally available substrates such as whey or grape must.     

Tungsten(VI) oxide supported rhodium(0) nanoparticles; highly efficient catalyst for H2 production from dimethylamine borane

It reports the preparation and characterization of tungsten(VI) oxide supported rhodium(0) nanoparticles (Rh⁰/WO₃ NPs) being used as catalysts in releasing H₂ from dimethylamine borane (DMAB). The reducible nature of WO₃ plays a significant role in the catalytic efficiency of rhodium(0) nanoparticles in the dehydrogenation of DMAB. The Rh⁰/WO₃ NPs were in-situ generated from the reduction of Rh²⁺ ions on the surface of WO₃ during the catalytic dehydrogenation of dimethylamine borane in toluene and isolated from the reaction solution after the dehydrogenation to be characterized by using SEM, TEM, XPS, ATR-IR and XRD. The results reveal the formation of Rh⁰ NPs with a mean particle size of 1.92 ± 0.34 nm dispersed on the surface of tungsten(VI) oxide. Rh⁰/WO₃ NPs are found to be very active catalyst releasing 1.0 equiv. H₂ per mole of dimethylamine borane under ambient conditions. Among the various WO₃ supported Rh⁰ NPs with different metal loadings, the sample with 0.1% wt. Rh provide the record catalytic activity (TOF = 2816 h^?1) which is one of the highest value ever reported for rhodium-based catalysts in H₂ generation from DMAB at 60.0 ± 0.5 °C. Rh⁰/WO₃ NPs were also reusable catalyst in dehydrogenation of DMAB retaining 55% of their initial catalytic activity in the 3rd run of the dehydrogenation reaction. Control experiments were performed at various catalyst concentrations and temperatures to investigate the kinetics of dehydrogenation and to calculate the activation parameters for the reaction.     

Acceptable Programs Revisited

Acceptable logic programs have been studied extensively in the context of proving termination of Prolog programs. It is difficult, however, to establish acceptability from the definition since this depends on finding a suitable model, which need not be a Herbrand model in general, together with a suitable level mapping that one can use to check the conditions which characterize acceptability. In this paper, we will see that when working over a fixed but arbitrary preinterpretation, a method can be provided for obtaining both a suitable model and a canonical level mapping which are sufficient for this purpose. Furthermore, the canonical model and level mapping obtained will turn out to be sufficient for discussing termination of non-ground queries.     

Comprehensibility of universal healthcare symbols for wayfinding in healthcare facilities

Healthcare facilities are often complex and overwhelming for visitors, and wayfinding in healthcare facilities can be challenging. As there is an increasing number of global citizens who travel to seek medical care in another country, it is critical to make wayfinding easy for visitors who are not familiar with the language in a foreign country. Among many wayfinding aids, symbols are helpful for those visitors who have limited ability to understand written language. This study tested universal healthcare symbols in the United States, South Korea, and Turkey to compare the comprehension of symbols cross-country and identify predictors of the correct comprehension. To explore statistically significant relationships between symbol comprehension and countries, Pearson's Chi-square tests, logistic regression, and ANOVA were conducted. The test results showed that ten symbols among 14 tested have significant relationship with countries. Results of this study demonstrate that symbol comprehension can be varied significantly in different countries.     

Modeling and simulation of water-gas shift in a heat exchange integrated microchannel converter

The aim of this study is to analyze the operation of a heat exchange integrated, Pt-CeO₂/Al₂O₃ washcoated microchannel water-gas shift (WGS) reactor under fuel processing conditions by mathematical modeling techniques. In this context, operation of a single microchannel is modeled, whose outcomes are compared with experimental data obtained from the literature. Simulations show good agreement with the experimental data, with an error below 4%. Upon its validation, single channel model is used to simulate a heat exchange integrated microchannel reactor, which involves periodically located groups of reaction and air-fed cooling channels. The integrated reactor is modeled by 2D Navier-Stokes equations together with reactive transport of heat and mass. Incorporation of heat exchange function minimizes the impact of thermodynamic limitations on WGS by precise regulation of reaction temperature and gives 77.6% CO conversion, which is 67.4% in the absence of cooling. Improvement in conversion from 69.2% to 77.6% is observed upon increasing feed temperature of the reaction stream from 565 to 595 K, above which the reaction is controlled by equilibrium. Coolant feed temperature, however, changes conversion only by <1%. Isothermal conditions are obtained upon feeding reaction and coolant channels at 595 K and 587 K, respectively. Changes in the thickness and material of the wall between the channels give limited deviations in conversion. An integrated reactor with 2.37 L volume is sufficient for supplying H₂ necessary to drive a 1 kW PEMFC unit.     

Evaluation of alginate-chitosan semi IPNs as cartilage scaffolds

In this study, alginate and alginate:chitosan semi interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) scaffolds were prepared by freeze-drying process. Alginate scaffolds were crosslinked with different concentrations of CaCl₂, i.e. 0.5, 1 or 3% (w/v), in 96% (v/v) ethanol solutions for two different periods, i.e. 4 and 24 h, after freeze-drying. Scanning electron microscope (SEM)/ Energy Dispersive Analysis by X-ray (EDAX) analysis and swelling studies indicated that crosslinking of scaffolds with 3% (w/v) CaCl₂ for 24 h was effectively created suitable alginate scaffolds in terms of optimum porosity and mechanical stability. This is why, alginate:chitosan semi IPN scaffolds were prepared at the crosslinking condition mentioned above in 70:30, 60:40 and 50:50% (v/v) alginate:chitosan ratios. Besides the attachment and proliferation abilities of ATDC5 murine chondrogenic cells on alginate, 70:30% (v/v) alginate:chitosan and 50:50% (v/v) alginate:chitosan scaffolds, their cellular responses were assessed for chondrogenic potential. These structural and cellular outcomes demonstrate potential utility of chitosan semi IPNs in alginate scaffolds. Comparative results found in relation to alginate scaffolds, support the necessity for alginate:chitosan scaffolds for improved cartilage tissue engineering.     

Regularized signal reconstruction for level-crossing sampling using Slepian functions

In this paper, we propose a method for efficient signal reconstruction from non-uniformly spaced samples collected using level-crossing sampling. Level-crossing (LC) sampling captures samples whenever the signal crosses predetermined quantization levels. Thus the LC sampling is a signal-dependent, non-uniform sampling method. Without restriction on the distribution of the sampling times, the signal reconstruction from non-uniform samples becomes ill-posed. Finite-support and nearly band-limited signals are well approximated in a low-dimensional subspace with prolate spheroidal wave functions (PSWF) also known as Slepian functions. These functions have finite support in time and maximum energy concentration within a given bandwidth and as such are very appropriate to obtain a projection of those signals. However, depending on the LC quantization levels, whenever the LC samples are highly non-uniformly spaced obtaining the projection coefficients requires a Tikhonov regularized Slepian reconstruction. The performance of the proposed method is illustrated using smooth, bursty and chirp signals. Our reconstruction results compare favorably with reconstruction from LC-sampled signals using compressive sampling techniques.